Jewel-setting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Portable jewel-setting apparatus comprising a hand-actuated setting member removeably and slidably mounted in a frame and operative to apply variable pressure to a jewel to be set in an article of jewelry such as a ring positioned on an arbor beneath the tip of the setting member.

United States Patent 1191 Schneider 1 1 Oct. 23, 1973 JEWEL-SETTING APPARATUS 1,009,895 11 1911 Clow 29 10 1,045,299 11/1912 Krimmling 81/7 [75] Inventor sch'mder 1,519,040 12 1924 Nedland 29/10 73 Assigneez w Schneider, Inc" Miami, 1,826,567 10/1931 Payer 81/7 [22] Filed: 1971 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham [21] Appl. No.: 187,017 Assistant Examiner-V. A. Dipalma Attorney-Francis N. Carten [52] U.S. Cl 81/7, 29/10, 29/l60.6 51 Int. Cl. 823p 5/00, G04d 3/04 [57]. ABSTRACT [58] Field Of Search 29/10, 160.6, 243.5; Portable jewel-Setting apparatus comprising hand- 31 actuated setting member removeably and slidably mounted in a frame and operative to apply variable 5 R f r Cited pressure to a jewel to be set in an article of jewelry UNITED STATES PATENTS such as a ring positioned on an arbor beneath the tip of the setting member. 245,715 8/1881 Hagerty 29/10 919,596 4/1909 Kirkwood 29/10 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures add iii 56 JEWEL-SETTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the retail jewelry business, it is desirable to be able to complete the manufacturing process of birthstone rings in the retail store, since any one of 12 birthstones may be desired by a customer. This situation has given rise to a need for an inexpensive, portable apparatus for accurately, efficiently and economically carrying out this final step of setting a particular birthstone. It is this need which the applicants invention is intended to fill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention may be better understood by reading the written description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the jewel-setting apparatus which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevationof the jewel-setting apparatus which is the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the setting tip of the slidably mounted setting member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, the portable jewel-setting apparatus there depicted comprises a frame including a base 12 and an L -shaped member 14 secured thereto by two socket screws 16 and 18. An arbor 20 is mounted in a cylindrical channel 22 extending through the. lower end of the vertical leg of L- shaped member 14, and is secured in position by a set screw 24. The base member 12 of the frame 10 has its bottom surface covered with a rubber pad 26 in order to provide .a secure, tractive grip on the surface on which the apparatus rests.

In the horizontal portion of the L-shaped member .14, a cylindrical channel 28 holds the setting member 30 in a fixed relationship with respect to the cylindrical arbor 20 on which is positioned the ring in which the jewel is to be set. Setting member 30 comprises a setting tip 32 which, when moved downwardly against the prongs of a ring in which the jewel is to be set, deflects thoseprongs simultaneously to secure the jewel in position. Setting tip 32 is connected to a telescoping member 34 which recedes into the cylindrical springretaining member 36. The rotational positioning and actuation of the setting member 30 is facilitated bya round handle 38 which is contoured for comfortable application of pressure with the palm or heel of the hand of the operator. As pressure is exerted downward on the handle 38, thereby causing setting tip 32 to engage and initiate deflection of the jewel-retaining prongs of a ring mounted therebelow on arbor 20, telescoping member 34 recedes into the spring-retaining member 36 against the gradually-increasing force of an internal spring. When a predetermined amount of force at the setting tip has been reached, an audible click generated by the spring mechanism within member 36 indicates to the operator that pressure should be removed. The construction of such a spring mechanism is well-known, being of the type utilized in an automatic center punch, ordinarily used to initiate a drill hole.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 2, it may be seen in this view that the telescoping member 34 has a channel 40 cut into its surface parallel to its longitudinal axis. This channel is cooperatively engaged by an indent 42 in the tapered portion of spring-retaining member 36. Thus, the telescoping member 34 cannot rotate with respect to member 36. Consequently, any angular displacement imparted to handle 38 will cause an equal angular displacement of setting tip 32. This enables the operator to align the setting tip 32 accurately with respect to the workpiece, i.e., the ring mounted on arbor 20.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 3, this is an end view of the setting tip 32, seen from the vantage point ofa homunculus positioned on the arbor in FIG. 2 just below the tip and looking upward. The operative contours of the setting tip are the four cusps 44, 46, 48, 50 positioned in the four corners of the rectangular aperture 52. The surfaces whose edges define aperture 52 fall away rapidly toward the longitudinal axis of the telescoping member 34, and fair into a central cylindrical channel 54 to allow ample clearance when the setting tip descends around the jewel as the retaining prongs of the ring are deflected over the jewel. Thus, at no time does the hard surface of the setting tip come in contact with the jewel.

The advantages of the present invention, as well as certain changes and modifications of the disclosed embodiment thereof, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the setting member can be rapidly withdrawn and replaced with another setting member having a setting tip with different contours. Alternatively, the setting tip may be removeably connected to the telescoping member 34, and replacement thereof may be made either after the setting member 30 is drawn out of the mounting channel 28 or while it remains in place within channel 28. The cross-section of channel 28 and of the member 36 which slides therein may be other than circular, e.g., square or triangular, if it is desirable for the setting tip 32 to be'maintained in a fixed angular orientation with respect to arbor 20. Similarly, the shape of the arbor 20 may be varied to suitany particular application of the invention. It is the applicant's intention tocover these and all other such changes and modifications which could be made to the embodiment of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: l. Jewel-setting apparatus comprising: 1. a frame; I 2. an arbor mounted on said frame for receiving a workpiece; and 3. spring-loaded, telescoping setting means slidably and moveably mounted in said frame for movement in a predetermined axial relationship with said arbor, said setting means being operative to engage and simultaneously deform a plurality of predetermined portions of the workpiece positioned on said arbor in order to secure a jewel therein by the gradually increasing pressure exerted upon said setting means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said setting means comprises:

a. a handle;

b. a first member in mounting engagement with said frame;

c. a second member including a setting tip for engaging and deforming said predetermined portions of the workpiece; and

d. spring means enclosed within said first and second members.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first member includes an indent and said second member includes a longitudinal groove, said indent being in engagement with said groove to prevent rotation of said second member relative to said first member.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a base member and an L-shaped member having vertical and horizontal portions, said arbor being adjustably mounted horizontally in the vertical portion of said L-shaped member, and said setting means being slidably mounted vertically in the horizontal portion of said L-shaped member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising pad means disposed on the bottom surface of said base member and operative to prevent slipping of said apparatus on the surface on which said apparatus rests. 

1. Jewel-setting apparatus comprising:
 1. a frame;
 2. an arbor mounted on said frame for receiving a workpiece; and
 3. spring-loaded, telescoping setting means slidably and moveably mounted in said frame for movement in a predetermined axial relationship with said arbor, said setting means being operative to engage and simultaneously deform a plurality of predetermined portions of the workpiece positioned on said arbor in order to secure a jewel therein by the gradually increasing pressure exerted upon said setting means.
 2. an arbor mounted on said frame for receiving a workpiece; and
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said setting means comprises: a. a handle; b. a first member in mounting engagement with said frame; c. a second member including a setting tip for engaging and deforming said predetermined portions of the workpiece; and d. spring means enclosed within said first and second members.
 3. The appAratus according to claim 2 wherein said first member includes an indent and said second member includes a longitudinal groove, said indent being in engagement with said groove to prevent rotation of said second member relative to said first member.
 3. spring-loaded, telescoping setting means slidably and moveably mounted in said frame for movement in a predetermined axial relationship with said arbor, said setting means being operative to engage and simultaneously deform a plurality of predetermined portions of the workpiece positioned on said arbor in order to secure a jewel therein by the gradually increasing pressure exerted upon said setting means.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a base member and an L-shaped member having vertical and horizontal portions, said arbor being adjustably mounted horizontally in the vertical portion of said L-shaped member, and said setting means being slidably mounted vertically in the horizontal portion of said L-shaped member.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising pad means disposed on the bottom surface of said base member and operative to prevent slipping of said apparatus on the surface on which said apparatus rests. 